Dozens attend funeral for veteran with no family

Emani Payne reports.

Author:
Emani Payne

Published:
7:33 AM CST December 1, 2016

Updated:
7:33 AM CST December 1, 2016

In Military Matters dozens of Central Texans gathered to honor a fallen soldier with no family at his funeral Wednesday morning. It took place at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, it was standing room only as dozens gathered to say their goodbyes to a man they never knew.

Fallen veteran Galen Pearson served in the army from August 1975 to June 1998. He put his life on the line while he served this country but when he passed away and the time came to send him home no records of any family could be found, that's when Central Texans stepped in to stand in their place, patiently waiting in line to honor the service member one by one.

"It's significant because we never want to leave a soldier behind. He served this country honorably and we want to ensure that we pay this respect to him and his family where ever they might be" says Ray Walker, Patriot Guard Ride Captain.

A Killeen mother brought her children to the funeral Wednesday morning, she says she wants to show them that everyone deserves to be loved.

"I hope they realize that it doesn't matter if you don't know the person, everybody is a human being and they deserve to be cared about" says Lindsay Sedgwick, Killeen resident.

Officials with the Veterans Land Board say it's an honor to be part of such a special ceremony and ensure that no fallen service member is ever forgotten.

"We want to ensure that even though it says unaccompanied we want everyone to know that he does have family and it's the community of Central Texas. We are his family so he's not unaccompanied anymore" says Doug Gault, Veterans Land Board.

Crawford Bowers Funeral Home alongside Fort Hood's Casualty Office worked together to make sure Pearson received military honors.